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Money will be used to create green spaces, a healing garden, and specialized therapeutic programming at hospital’s Lasalle site
Published Oct 23, 2025 • Last updated 7 minutes ago • 3 minute read
Pictured are Francine Côté, Chair, Desjardins; Billy Boucher, CEO, Desjardins; Catherine Huneault, Chair, St. Joseph’s; Kristal Lafantaisie, Director of Development, St. Joseph’s; Kari Gervais, CEO, St. Joseph’s; Richard Dupuis, VP Business Banking, Desjardins; and Stephan Plante, VP, Member Experience and Retail Banking, Desjardins. Supplied photoArticle content
The people who run the Desjardins GoodSpark Fund want to make sure that patients in Sudbury have the kind of surroundings that help them heal.
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Billy Boucher, CEO of Desjardins Ontario Credit Union, donated $500,000 to the St. Joseph’s Foundation while touring the second site of St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre on Lasalle Boulevard.
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The money will create green spaces, a healing garden, and specialized therapeutic programming to improve health and well-being for patients at the Lasalle site.
Northeastern Ontario’s only stand-alone rehabilitative care hospital, St. Joseph’s specializes in rehabilitative, restorative, and supportive care to help adults regain independence, restore hope, and improve their quality of life.
Desjardins’ financial contribution supports the capital expansion of the Lasalle site of the hospital, which opened a year ago as part of phase one of an expansion. When the second phase of construction is completed in 2026, it will offer 72 private rooms for patients, along with other amenities, thanks in part to Desjardins.
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In recognition of it donation, the garden will be named the Desjardins Healing Garden.
“At Desjardins, we believe that healing goes beyond medicine — it’s also about compassion, dignity, and connection,” Boucher said in a release. “The new green spaces at St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre will offer comfort and an opportunity for renewal to patients, families and caregivers.
“Through our GoodSpark Fund, we’re proud to support projects that meet real community needs and help build a healthier, more inclusive future.”
The Desjardins Healing Garden and green spaces around the building will provide peaceful, accessible outdoor areas designed to foster recovery, connection, and well-being. Therapeutic programming, including horticultural therapy, mindfulness, and creative workshops, will enrich rehabilitation, promote mental health, and bring people together in meaningful ways.
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“By integrating natural landscapes, accessible design, and therapeutic programs, we will provide a modern, compassionate environment where patients can regain independence and thrive,” said CEO and president Kari Gervais. “We are proud to partner with Desjardins to go beyond building a hospital. This incredible gift will provide patients, families, and our committed team of employees and volunteers with welcoming spaces that promote recovery and well-being.”
Desjardins has a legacy of supporting adults and older adults in Sudbury through earlier donations to St. Joseph’s two long-term care homes in Sudbury – St. Joseph’s Villa and Villa St. Gabriel Villa – totalling $200,000.
“We’re so grateful for Desjardins’ incredible support, which brings us closer to realizing the full vision of the SJCCC Expansion and meeting the growing need for rehabilitative care in our region,” said Kristal Lafantaisie, director of Development, St. Joseph’s Foundation. “Through their investment in the Healing Garden, green spaces, and therapeutic programming, Desjardins is helping transform our new hospital into a restorative space for recovery and hope.”
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St. Joe’s facts
– About 80 per cent of St. Joseph’s Continuing Care patients can return home after receiving rehabilitative care at St. Joseph’s.
– Since the Lasalle site of the hospital opened in October of 2024, more than 383 patients have been supported on their rehabilitative care journey.
– One month after discharge, 98 per cent of patients said that they received the right information from staff to know what to do if their condition should worsen, and 97 per cent reported feeling prepared to go home.
– One month after discharge, only 4 per cent of patients needed to visit the emergency department.
– St. Joseph’s Health Centre is a comprehensive health care organization specializing in long-term care and rehabilitative care.
– It operates a two-site rehabilitative care hospital (St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre), as well as three long-term care homes (St. Joseph’s Villa and Villa St. Gabriel Villa in Greater Sudbury, and St. Joseph’s Lodge in Gore Bay).
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